The misuse of drugs is a worldwide problem and although there is a decrease in the consumption of illegal substances such as cocaine, there is also an increase in legal drug abuse; including opioid analgesics, which has led U.S. government agencies to generate strategies to counteract this (White House, 2011).
IN
the United States, about two million people suffer from disorders related to opioid
medications indicated as pain treatments; this has generated deaths by overdose, which led to considering this problem an epidemic (NIDA, 2014). In young adults ages 18-34, the non-clinical use of prescription drugs in the past year shows a rate of 4.5 percent, making these drugs the most abused substances, second only to marijuana (SAMHSA, 2010). At the workplace, this creates a new
problem as oſten self-medication and abuse of prescription drugs generates difficulties in work performance and can cause accidents. Tis is why the International Labor Organization (ILO) recommends the employee consult a specialist and notify his/her superiors, so they can determine whether there are risks in performing their job (ILO, 1996). In Colombia, the national drug
policy (CONPES, 2012), highlights the inappropriate and irrational use of drugs as one of the main problems on which national policies should focus. However, there are very few studies that show the current state of psychotropic drug abuse. And, furthermore, there are even fewer studies that show the precise data on the situation at the workplace. Te latest National Drug Study,
published in 2013, shows a two percent prevalence in the consumption of tranquilizers and a datapoint of 1.07 percent for opioid drugs without prescription at least once in a lifetime. Te “productive” age (18–34 years) is where this is most oſten evidenced (UNODC,
www.datia.org
2013). Tis data may be underestimated. In Medellin City, Colombia there is a study on the use of prescription drugs (in drug-dependent people) in which was clear the prevalence of benzodiazepines, flunitrazepam and clonazepam, in the last year of 67.9 percent, followed by designer drugs (LSD, ecstasy, amphetamines, HGB, PCP, methamphetamine, ketamine). Opiates (heroin, morphine, opium, codeine, dextromethorphan, meperidine
...from our experience, as a pioneer company in prevention and consumption programs, we have identified self-medication as the most usual cause of positive screening test results of employees.
and fentanyl) presented a prevalence in the last year of 26.7 percent. (Castaño, 2013). Tis shows that although this data belongs to a specific population in rehab, it appears that prescription drug abuse has high prevalence in general and even more when 27.8 percent of this population had a job. Tere are not many studies on the use
and prescription of drugs; the most recent study was conducted in five cities, and it showed that anti-inflammatories and analgesics are substances that are purchased in drugstores without a prescription, leaving a disturbing picture, that it is clear that self-medication is a high-risk issue
and that its acquisition is relatively easy (UNAL, 2004). Te lack of concrete and recent studies
on the abuse of psychoactive drugs is clear, but note that the inappropriate use of these substances is a problem that should be investigated, in order to start creating more effective strategies to address the condition. Ignorance of our situation is what allows the problem to increase uncontrollably. Likewise, there are very few studies on the workplace and generally it takes into account the productive age to identify risk of abuse at the workplace. But from our experience, as a pioneer company in prevention and consumption programs, we have identified self-medication as the most usual cause of positive screening test results of employees. Our most frequent cases of positive
results correspond to opioid prescription drugs, codeine being the one that is most oſten abused, followed by hydrocodone, especially in combination with other drugs such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen. Workers usually say that they get these drugs from other people, such as friends or family. Although it is necessary to acquire these drugs with a prescription, there is not sufficient control by pharmacies as these drugs are easily available through the Internet or by other people with prescriptions; making potential abusers increasingly susceptible to choosing self-medication. Employees, most of the time, are unaware of the risks relating to their consumption and that these substances are banned in high-risk jobs. Cross-reactivity from using multiple
drugs is also frequent and is presented by the inappropriate use of other drugs (not necessarily psychoactive) such
datia focus 19
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